Giant viruses, giant chimeras: the multiple evolutionary histories of Mimivirus genes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although capable to evolve, viruses are generally considered non-living entities because they are acellular and devoid of metabolism. However, the recent publication of the genome sequence of the Mimivirus, a giant virus that parasitises amoebas, strengthened the idea that viruses should be included in the tree of life. In fact, the first phylogenetic analyses of a few Mimivirus genes that are also present in cellular lineages suggested that it could define an independent branch in the tree of life in addition to the three domains, Bacteria, Archaea and Eucarya.

Results

We tested this hypothesis by carrying out detailed phylogenetic analyses for all the conserved Mimivirus genes that have homologues in cellular organisms. We found no evidence supporting Mimivirus

SUBMITTER: Moreira D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2263039 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature